The Mighty Quinns: Cameron (12 page)

“Did she say that?” Cameron asked.

Sofie rolled onto her side, bracing her head on her hand. “Yes.”

“She’s a beautiful woman. You look a lot like her.”

Sofie patted the mattress beside her. “Come here, my boyfriend.”

As he crossed the room, Cameron slowly unbuttoned his shirt. He stretched out beside her, and Sofie pushed the cotton fabric away from his chest. She pressed her lips to his neck. “I wanted to do this when we were dancing.” She reached for the front button of his jeans and flipped it open. “It works much better in bed, don’t you think?”

“I could get used to your bed.” He smoothed his hands over her hair, the strands like silk in his fingers. “It’s much more comfortable than the Airstream. Now that the case is done in Vulture Creek, are we going to work on another one here in Albuquerque?”

“We’re going to take a break,” Sofie said. “And have some fun.”

“Did you give the photos to your uncle tonight?”

“No.” Sofie shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about the case right now.”

“Isn’t your uncle going to wonder about what’s going on?”

“He asked me how things were progressing, right before we left tonight. I told him I didn’t have anything new to report.”

“But you do,” he said. “You have the photos and a name and a location.”

She drew a slow breath. “I know. But I’m not sure I want to use it. Who am I to put myself in the middle of this mess? Don’t you think they should be able to work this out without any outside interference?”

“But that’s what you’re getting paid for, Sof. Stella Fredericks hired you to find out if her husband was cheating on her. And you have the answer.”

“But don’t you think it would be much better if Walter just sat down and talked to Stella? He should be the one to tell her about Vivian, not me. Or maybe Vivian should talk to her sister. This is just a bad situation, and I think having a stranger in the middle of it is just going to make it worse.”

“Why the change of heart?”

“Vivian seems to genuinely love Walter. And he seems to love her. Maybe the circumstances aren’t perfect, but there might be a chance that they can make each other happy. No, I don’t think Walter cheating on his wife is acceptable, but now that he’s done it, he needs to own up and make things right, for everyone involved.”

“What are you going to do?”

Sofie thought about it for a moment, then flopped back onto the bed. “As soon as I know, I’ll discuss it with my faithful assistant. Until then, I think he should kiss me.”

Cameron touched his lips to hers in a sweet, lingering kiss. “All right, boss. Whatever you say. I’ve got your back. And your front.”

Sofie smiled, then pulled him into a deeper kiss, raking her fingers through his hair and sending desire snaking through his veins. They’d been together for about a week and a half, and it still seemed so new and exciting.

Usually by this time Cameron would have grown restless and begun to question whether he needed a woman in his life at all. But Sofie had managed to work her way into his heart, and there didn’t seem to be any reason to believe she’d be going anywhere soon.

They had four more weeks. He’d be happy to spend the rest of that time in her bed, but if they didn’t work another case, he had to find some way to make a living. He couldn’t mooch off of Sofie for an entire month.

“There is something I need to talk to you about,” he said.

“Is it about the fact that you’re still dressed and I’m not?” Sofie asked.

“No.” Cameron sat up and pulled off his shirt. “Your brother mentioned that he’s been wanting to do some remodeling in his kitchen. Since I need a job, I told him that I might be available.”

“Which brother?”

“Carlos? I guess he lives here in Albuquerque?”

“Ugh, his kitchen is horrible,” she said. “But you don’t have to work.”

“I can’t continue to sponge off of you, Sofie. You’ve paid for everything since we met. I’m starting to feel guilty. Carlos said he’d pay me ten dollars an hour, which is more than I could make slinging burgers at Millie’s. And I’m good with my hands, so—”

“Yes, you are very good with your hands.” Sofie reached down and grabbed his left one, placing it on her breast. “I thought you were going to be my sex slave.”

“As much as I’d totally dominate at that job, I think I’d probably have to spend everything I earn on condoms. And sad to say, I might not be up to the demands of round-the-clock sex.”

“I suppose we can’t stay in this apartment all day long,” Sofie said.

“And I was thinking I should probably find a place to stay. I don’t want to impose on—”

“No,” Sofie said. “You’ll stay here. I want you here. If you’re feeling guilty, you can buy groceries every now and then. Or maybe cook a meal. Or do laundry. But you don’t have to pay rent.”

“All right,” Cameron said, satisfied that they’d laid out the terms to his satisfaction. Though he wasn’t technically in Vulture Creek, he was close enough. He’d had a job and a place to sleep in Vulture Creek, but now he was moving on to bigger and better things.

“All right,” Sofie repeated. “Now take off the rest of your clothes and come to bed.”

Cameron kicked out of his boots, then stripped off his jeans and socks.

“Boxers, too,” she said.

When he was naked, he waited, watching a smile twitch at the corners of her mouth.

“Better?” he asked.

“The best,” she murmured. “So, you wanna dance?”

He sank down onto the bed beside her, pulling her against his body and smoothing his hands over the curves of her backside. This was how it should be, Cameron thought to himself. Pure and utter contentment. He didn’t want to be anywhere else, with anyone else.

She reached between their bodies and touched him, the contact sending a wave of pleasure crashing over him. It didn’t take much to bring him to the edge, but Cameron had learned to control his reactions, knowing that better things would come if he’d take her with him.

When he couldn’t bear it anymore, he pulled her against him, her backside tucked into the curve of his body. He had complete access to every inch of her flesh, and he ran his hands from her breasts to her belly to the soft juncture of her thighs.

The satin bra and panties found a place on the floor beside his clothes, and as she arched against him, Cameron found the damp spot between her legs. He knew what she liked, knew exactly how to caress her to a shuddering release.

But Sofie wanted more than just his touch. After he sheathed himself, she reached back and guided him inside her slick heat. Though he was familiar with the destination, the sensations were entirely new and overwhelmingly erotic.

She moved against him, and Cameron grabbed her hips to stop her, taking a long moment to regain his control. When he was ready, he drew back, then plunged deep. Sofie moaned softly, her fingers still tangled in his hair.

He kissed her on her shoulder, then moved to the sweet curve of her neck, his teeth grazing her silken skin. This was the woman he never knew he needed—or wanted—or loved. Had he not come to Vulture Creek, he might have gone his whole life waiting for her.

Now that he’d found her, Cameron wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to let her go. And though a future might look impossible, he had to believe that everything would work out. People fell in love every day, and there were always complications. But love was supposed to conquer all.

The hard part was over. They’d met. Against all odds, they’d found each other in a world of millions. Cameron would make it work. He had no choice.

As Sofie reached the edge, Cameron let his body respond, and when he felt the first spasms of her orgasm, he buried himself deep inside of her, his surrender inevitable.

She fell asleep still curled against him, Cameron’s arms wrapped around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder. As he listened to her soft, even breathing, he thought about all he had waiting back home—his job, his brothers, his life.

He knew already, even after just ten days with Sofie, that she was forever tied to this place. The desert around Albuquerque, the mountains, the canyons and the mesas, they were part of her, part of the blood pulsing through her veins. Taking her away from her family wasn’t an option.

He would have to be the one to give up everything he knew. Cameron drew a deep breath. But there were no sailboats in the desert. And he didn’t know much else.

Drawing a ragged breath, he closed his eyes. He had a lot more to work out before he and Sofie had a happily-ever-after. But he’d think about all of that tomorrow.

* * *

S
OFIE
LEFT
C
AMERON
before the sun rose. He was still asleep in her bed, his long limbs tangled in the pale blue sheets, his face pressed into one of her pillows. She knew if she woke him he’d want to come with her, but this was something she needed to do on her own.

She drove west, away from the rising sun, toward Vulture Creek. The air was cool and the sky clear. Sofie smiled to herself as she replayed the events of the previous night and her pulse quickened. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so completely alive, as if the future was just waiting for her to reach out and grab it.

She’d spent far too long regretting past mistakes, trying to recapture something that she thought she’d lost. She was tired of looking back. Maybe she’d never be a cop again. Maybe the accident had changed the course of her life. But now she was beginning to see the possibilities that lay in front of her.

Sofie laughed. A few months ago, she’d been entirely focused on her career, determined to get back onto the force and regain her position in the department. And yet here she was, actually imagining herself married—and sometimes there were even children in the picture.

Though she’d always assumed she’d settle down someday, once she’d started work, that option had been pushed into the shadows. The subject of marriage had never come up between her and Sam, mostly because she usually left the room if it sounded as if the discussion was heading in that direction.

But now her future was no longer carved in stone. She could make it whatever she chose. And if she chose to spend it with Cameron, then so many wonderful things were possible.

As she drove, she thought about all the things they could share, all the adventures they could have together. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she nearly missed the entrance to the ranch.

She’d driven past the place a number of times and studied an aerial view on Google Maps. But this time, Sofie had a reason to open the gate and drive to the ranch house. She had business with the owner.

The place looked nothing like the typical ranch houses in the area, weathered by the wind. The log house gleamed in the morning light, its multipaned windows reflecting the sun and its wide porch shading the front door.

When she stopped the Jeep, Sofie took a moment to gather her thoughts before walking up the front steps. She had no idea if this would work, but she had to give it a try. She took the steps two at a time and then rang the front bell.

A few seconds later the door swung open and Vivian Armstrong appeared. A smile broke across her face, followed very quickly by a look of confusion. “Sofie. What are you doing here? How did you—”

“Can I come in? We need to talk.”

“I—I don’t know. Walter isn’t here and he doesn’t like it if—”

“Vivian, it’s important. Believe me.”

She clutched the edge of the door, and Sofie was sure she was about to slam it shut. But then she finally stepped back and motioned for Sofie to enter. “Why are you here? I thought you went back to San Francisco. When I called you for our mud bath, they said you’d checked out.”

“I live in Albuquerque, not San Francisco, Vivian. And I’m a private investigator. Your sister, Stella, hired me to find out if her husband was cheating on her.”

The color drained out of Vivian’s face. “Stella knows about me?”

“Not yet. She suspects there’s a woman, but she has no idea it’s you.”

“Pictures,” Vivian murmured. “You took pictures of us. You pretended to be my friend.” She turned away, hurrying across the room to stand near a huge stone fireplace. Vivian rubbed her arms, as if she was cold—or afraid. “And Cameron?”

“He was working with me.”

“Oh.” The word came out as more of a groan than an exclamation of understanding. “Oh, no. I—I think you should probably leave.” Vivian pointed to the door with a shaky hand.

“I’m not going to leave until we talk.” Sofie’s heart twisted at the stricken expression on Vivian’s face.

“What do we have to talk about? You’re going to tell Stella about me. And then she’ll hate me forever.”

“I took the photos, but I’m not going to give them to Stella.”

Vivian’s eyes filled with tears and her voice wavered with emotion. “You—you aren’t?”

“You need to talk to her yourself. You need to tell her what’s going on and how you feel. You’ll never be able to keep this a secret forever.”

“I don’t want to hurt my sister.”

“Then you shouldn’t have started sleeping with her husband.”

Vivian burst into tears, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed. Sofie crossed the room and slipped her arm around Vivian’s shoulders, guiding her over to the leather sofa. They both sat down, and Sofie gently patted Vivian’s back, hoping that her crying would be soothed.

“This is a disaster,” Vivian said.

“It is,” Sofie agreed. “It’s a real mess.”

“She’s going to hate me.”

“Maybe she will. But didn’t you know that when you started seeing Walter?”

“Walter’s political career will be ruined. He can’t take a scandal like this. And—and he’ll lose everything in the divorce.”

“Not everything,” Sofie said. “You’ll still have this ranch.”

Vivian glanced up. “Not just that. We still have our collection. Walter said we’re keeping it for a rainy day.”

“Your collection?”

“It’s in the library. He says it’s worth a lot. He’s invested my money in it, and he’s assured me it’s better than stocks and bonds. Stella doesn’t know anything about it, so she shouldn’t be able to touch it.”